Machine-gun.



M. KNUTGEN.

MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED MAI 6,1912.

Patented July 16, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' faz- M. KNO'TGEN.

MACHINE GUN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6,1912.

Patented July 16, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

, UWETED snares ria'ranr orrio.

. YIA'IZHIAS KN dIG-EN, OF COLOGNE, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO GESELLSCHAFT. ZUE VER- WERTUNG VON FEUERWAFFEN-PATENTEN 1%. B. 1-1., OF COLOGNE, GERMANY.

IVIACHINE-GUN.

To ail whom it may concern:

lie it known thatl, MA'rHIAs KztoronN, a citizen of the Empire of Germany, residing at Cologne-on-thc-l ihine, in the Empireot' Germany, have invented a new and useful Machine-Gun, of which the following is a spe ilication.

My invention relates to improvements in machine-guns with two or more gun-barrels and two breeches, which are alternately moved forward for closing one barrel and backward for opening the other barrel while withdrawing the empty partridge; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to provide beneath the magazine for the cartridges two opposite feeders adapted to alternately receive a cartridge from the magazine and to turn it under the action of the corresponding breech through an angle of 90 into the direction of the corresponding barrel; and, second to provide a device adapted to be alternately operated from eitherbreech for turning the two feeders and the cartridge-ejector in one or the other direction. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in Wl1iCl1- Figure l isa-n elevationof the improved machine-gun, a part of the revolver containing six barrels being broken away, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, a part being omitted, Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section throughthe same on the line A-l3 in Fig. 6,.Fig. et is a similar section through the same the line CD in Fig. 6, Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the same on the .ine JK in Fig. 3, Fig. 6 a similar sec- ;ion through the same on the line Gl-l in Fig. 4, Fig. 7 is a vertical cross section hrough the line T l F in Fig. 4, seen inthe lircction of the arrows, and shows the lower and of the magazine, the two breeches and :he cartridge-ejector, and. Fig. 8- is a similar aection and shows the upper end of the magizine and one of the cartridge receptacles, from which an intermediate part is omitted.

Similar characters of reference refer to iiuilar parts throughout the several views.

The machine-gun comprises a boX-like casng turnable in standards 64 and consisting t a base 1 and a cover 2, further a cylinlrical revolver 3 turnablo in the front end it the casing and contaiiiing Seiklll '(in be prcscnt case six) parallel barrels 3t), 36.

:1 nc base '1 are provided in the horizontal Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 6, 1912.

Patented July 16, 1912. Serial No. 895,389.

central plane of the revolver 3 guides, in which two breeches l, 4 of across section shown in Fig. '7 are longitudinally guided. Each breech 4 has a central longitudinal bore in-Which an igniting pin 5 (Figs. and 7 is guided. The revolver 3 is in any known manner intermittently turned and then secured, so as to always bring two of its barrels (opposite to one another) into the axes'of the two breeches 4., 4 (Fig. so that either breech can close the opposite barrel and its igniting pin 5 can pierce the cartridge therein. The two breeches 4r, 4 are on their rear parts provided with racks 34, 34 (Fig. facing one another and a pinion 35 turnable on a pin in the base 1 is made to mesh with the two racks. The consequence of this is, that when one breech l moved forward to close its barrel 36, the other breech is moved backward for opening the corresponding barrel 3G and withdrawing the empty cartridge by means of the. springy hooks 54:. I do not further describe the construction of the casing 1, 2, the revolver 3, the breeches 4-, 4 and the parts 'loroppra-ting the revolver and breeches, as it is imuzaterial to my invention and may be of any known and approved kind.

()n the cover 2 is disposed a suitable fran'le 75, into which a series of juxtaposed #artridge receptacles 21 (Fig. 1) can be introduced from the rear. in the present rose. the series is assumed to oouu'u-isc ten rcceptacles 21, which are in any known manner connected together. for example by means ottwo racks are guided in suitable groovcsot the frame 75. Each rcccptzu'zle 21 is open at the. lower end and is adapted to contain a number (for example ten) of cartridges 7, 7, which are pressed downward by means of a spring 76 and a plate *7 guided in the receptacle. As clearly shown in Figs. '7 and 8, the cartridges 7, 7 are superposed and alternately disposed in opposite direction, so that their points overlap one another. Normally all the receptacles 21 are below closed by a plate 22 (Figs. 3 and 4) serving as a bottom and capable of being withdrawn. This plate 22 has at the rear edge two pendent lugs 20, which are adapted to bear against suitable projections Q l (Fig. 1) provided on he cover 2, so that in this manner the bottnn 22 is withdrawn, when in manner to e hereinafter described the 74, 'T-l (Fig. 8), whichis frdmfthe right the cover 2, so that only the cartridges'con tained in any receptacle 21 above the mega-.

zine 23 czi-rfbe pressed out of the receptacle into the magazine by means of the spring 76 and the plate 7 7.

In the ends of the magazine 23 (Figs. 2

' nd 8) two-vertical pins 84, 84 are longitu inally guided, which are pressed upward by helical springs surrounding them and are at their lower end madein one with two beveled-0t! noses 84 (Fig. 1). On the outside of the cover 2 two vertical thin shafts 85 are mounted to rock in suitable bearings and carry each above a crooked arm 85, Figs. 1 and 2) and below a pawl 86. T e two arms 85, 85 are pressed against .the- {two ,beveled-ofi' noses 84* by means of-h'elital Springs surrounding the shafts 85, and the two pawls 86,

"86 are adapted to pass through suitable recal rod 81, which is longitudinally is pressed upward by a helical spring 82 cesses in the base 1 and to engage in notches 4 (Fig. 5) of the breeches 4, 4. A shaft 79 (Fig. 1) is mounted in the cover 2 to rock and has fastened on its ends two parallel arms 79, which carry at the free end two pins 7 8 that pass through slots in thclframe 75 and carry two pawls 78 adapted to engage the two above mentioned racks 74, 74. One arm 79 is made in one with another arm 80 at right angles to it, the two arms 79, 80 forming a bell-crank lever. The arm 80 is pivotally connected with a vertiguided,

3 surrounding it and is hooked at its lower end. A known crank 8 is provided on the gun-casing 1, 2 and is turned downward in the direction of the arrow for releasing the revolver 3 by withdrawing a bolt 6 (Fig. by means of its cranked shaft. 9, prior to the turn of the revolver from one barrel to the other. This crank 8 is also utilized for feeding the series of receptacles 21 forward as follows. It is provided on its nave with a nose 8 adapted to work with the hooked end of the rod 81. Each time that the crank 8 is turned downwardfor rcleas-. mg the revolver 3,

its nose 8 permits the rod 81 to move upward under the action of the spring 82, so that the two pawls 78 move to the rear and each ride over the back of one tooth of the racks 74 and snap behind it. lVhen the crank8 is again turned upward for locking the revolver 3 after its turn, of course the two pawls 78 engaging the two racks 74, 74 will feed the series of receptacles 21 I one receptacle forward, so that a receptacle 2]. filled with cartridges will'move from the bottom 22 over the magazine. ceptacle now 23 and replace the preceding reempty. The spring 76 with the plate77 (Fi gy Q will feed the cartridges both in the recep- I tacle and-in the magazine 23 downward asthey are left in the receptacle 21, its plate 77 will depress the two springressed ins 84, 84, so that their beveled-o noses 84 will turn the two arms pawls 86, 86 inward, when the latter byeli: gaging in the notches 4 (Fig. 5) will'stop the two breeches ,4, 4. Therefore. the twobreeches will be prevented from movingflso that neither of them can close the corresponding barrel, whereby otherwise the re- 1 volver 3 would be prevented from turning. The operator perceiving this will then turn are used. When nomore cartridges to s 85, 85 outward and-thethe crank'8 downward for releasing the revolver 3, which can be then turned forward in any known manner for replacing the hot barrels by cool ones that can be now charged with cartridges one after the other, whereupon the crank 8 is again turned up ward and thereby the series of receptacles 21 is fed forward for moving a filled recep lacle over the magazine 23. Thereby of course the two spring-pressed pins 84, 84 (Fig. 8) are again released, so move upward and the two pawls 86, 86 are under the action of the springs 85 withdrawn from the notches 4 of the two breeches 4, 4, which are then setat liberty and can be operated as usual, until the receptacle 21 is empty and the two breeches 4, 4 are again stopped, whereupon the whole series of occurrences repeats.

A plate 10 in the gun-casing 1, 2 is provided with two pins 11, 11 (Fig. 6), on which two toothed segments 25, 25 are mounted to rock beneath the magazine 23 (Fig. 2). These segments are each provided with a slot for receiving onecartridge 7 from the magazine and serve as feeders. The two feeders 25,25 mesh with another toothed segment 26 fastened on the upper end of a vertical shaft 27 which rocks in the two superposed plates 10, 12 and carries between them a pinion 28 (Figs. 4 and 5). Parallel to the shaft 27 is another rocking shaft 30, which is rigidly connected with aloothed segment 29 and a cartridge-ejector 31. The segment 2!) meshes with the pinion 28 and the ejector 31 is provided with two opposite shoulders 32, 32. The two breeches 4, 4 are on their opposite sides eachprovided with a cam 33, which is adapted to strike one shoulder 32 of the ejector 31 and thereby to turn the latter. The two feeders 25, 25 are so geared together, that when one of them occupies one extreme position and its slot is ready to receive one cartridge 7 from the magazine 23, the other feeder occuies its other extreme position and its slot olds a cartridge 7 in the vertical central that they I plane of the corresponding barrel 36, as is,

- ;l;early shown in Fig. 6. The plate 10 is on its upper face provided with a cam (Figs. at and 6) for supporting and guiding the point of the respective cartridge 7 The plate 10 is provided with two slots in which two spring-pressed curved receivers 56, 56 (Figs. 3 and G) are mounted to vertically rock. Each receiver 56 is adapted to bear under the action of its spring from above against the cartridge 7 in the respective feeder 25 when turned into the vertical plane of the barrel 36 and to press the cartridge down "aid for inserting its head between the spring hooks 5i of the corresponding breech i. Then the latter can during its for ard' motion introduce the cartridge 7 into the barrel 3$,aftcr which the igniting pin 5 is operated as usual.

When after firing the empty cartridge 7 is withdrawn from the barrel 36 by means of the hooks of the breech 4 moved rearward, the nose 33 on the other breech 4e si-- inultaneously moved forward will strike the corresponding shoulder 32 at the ejector 31 and thercbyturn the latter which will then eject the empty cartridge by forcing it off the" si'iringy books 54 and, throwing it thrmigh" an opening (not shown) of the gun casing 1, At the same time the ejector 31 will by means of the toothed segment 29, the pinion the shaft and the toothed meet it turn the two feeders 25, through an angle of 90 into their other positions, so that the cartridge 7 discharged from the. naigazine '23 into the slot of one. feeder is turned into the vertical plane of the corresponding barrel 3G and the slot of the other feeder is turned back into the plane of the magazine 93 for receiving the next following cartridge.

l claim:

1. in a machine-gunof the'class described, the ombination with a gunarasing, of bar: rels attached to said gun-casing. a magazine for superposed cartridges in said gun-casing at right angles to said barrels, two feeders -tnrnabl in said gun-casing beneath said magazine and adapted to alternately receive therefrom one cartridge, and means for simultaneously turning said two feeders in either direction through an angloof 90 so as to turn one feeder chargedwith the cartridge from the plane of said magazine into the vertical plane of the corresponding barrel and to more the empty other feeder back into the plane of the magazine.

la a machine-gun of the class described, the rombinatilui with two parallel guides, of two hreeeh s movable in said two guides, means for positively moving said two brooches in opposite directions, barrels adapted to be severally brought into line with said two brooches, a vertical magazine for superposed. viill ridges at right, angles said barrels, two opposite feeders turnable beneath said magazine and adapted to alternately receive therefrom-one cartridge, and means operated from said two breeches for simultaneously turning said two feeders in either direction through an angle of 90 so as to turn one feeder charged with the cartridge from theplane of said magazine into thevertical plane of the corresponding barrel and to move the empty other feeder hack into the plane of the magazine.

3. In a mach negun of the class described, the combination with a gun-casing of two parall l breaches guided-in said guncasing, means for positively moving said two breeehes in opposite directions, a revolver comprising a pluralit, of barrels and adapted to be intermittently turned on said guncasing so as to bring the barrels severally into line with said two breeehes, a vertical magazine in said gun-casing at right angles to said barrels and adapted to vertically guide superposed cartridges which are alternately placed in opposite directions so that their heads are in close proximity of the narrow walls and their points overlap one another, two opposite feeders turnable in said gun-casing beneath said magazine and adapted to alternately receive there-from onecartridge, and means operated from said two breeches for simultanemisly turning said two feeders in either direction through an angle of 90 so as to turn one feeder charged with the cartridge from the plane of said magazine into the vertical plane of the corr'e sponding barrel and to move the empty other feeder back into the plane of the magazine. v

4. In a machine-gun ,of the class described, a cartridge feeder consistin turnahle toothed segment having a s lot extending from one end across the central line to a point near the other end, said slot being between the series of teeth and the fulcrum and'adapted ttrreieive a cartridge.

5. in a immhine gun ot' the class described, the combination with a gun-casing, of two parallel'breeehcs-guided, in said gun- :asing, means for positively nn'n'ing said two breeches in (opposite directions, a cartridge ejector turnalile in said gun-casing, and two cams on=s5iid two brooches adapted to alternately strike said cartridge-eiector and to turn it to the side of the other in'eoch moving rearward to eject the empty cartridge w i t h d raw 11 bit h e latter.

6. .ln a machine-Qni-of the class described, theTimmbinaticn with a gun casing,

of two parallel brooches guided in said guncasing and provided with two cams on their sides facing one another, means for posi tive-ly moving said two brccches in opposite directions, and a c'urtridge-ejectm' turnable in'said gun-casing-aml adapted to eject an empty, ea rt ridge from the from end of either of said two breeclnis, said cieetordmving two opposite shoulders adapted to be alternately struck by the two cams of said two breeches whereby the ejector is turned for eifecting the ejection. 1 v

7. 'In a machine-gun of the class described, the combination with a gun-casing,

v of two parallel breeches guided in said guna pinion meshing with sai casing and provided with two cams on their sides facing one another, means for positively moving said two breeches in opposite directions, an ejector tnrnable in said guncasing and adapted to eject an empty cartridge from the front end of either of said two breeches, said ejector having two opposite shoulders 'adapted to be alternately struck bythe two cams of said two breeclies whereby the ejector is turned for effecting the ejection, a small toothed segment rigidly connected with said ejector, a shaft tnrnable in said gun-casing and havin fastened on it small toothed segment,- a large toothed se ment on said shaft, barrels attached to sai gun-casing, a

vertical magazine for superposed cartridges in said gun-casing at right angles to said barrels,- and two feeders tnrnable in said gun-casing beneath said magazine and adapted to alternately receive therefrom one cartridge, said two feeders having gear teeth whereby they mesh with said large toothed 3 segment, said two toothed segments, said pinion and the gear teeth of said two feeders being so proportioned that said ejector on being actuated by either cam turns said two feeders through an angle of 90 so as to turn one feeder charged with the cartridge from the plane of said magazine into the I vertical plane of the corresponding barrel and to move the empty other feeder back into the plane of the magazine.

v MATH. KNtjTGEN.

Vitnesses Bnssm F. DUNLAP, FRANZISKA STODTEN, 

